How Tobacco companies violate laws

Tobacco companies aggressively block, weaken, and undermine policies designed to protect public health and reduce tobacco use, and at times they may work outside of countries’ laws. In multiple cases tobacco companies have been found guilty of violating laws to ensure they are as profitable as possible.

In Malawi, children age 14 and younger are working in tobacco fields that source tobacco for XXXX. Research conducted revealed that 57% of all children in two tobacco producing districts were involved in child labor. Among tobacco growing families, 63% of children were involved in child labor.

Leaf buying firms and big tobacco companies say they tell contract farmers not to use children and that stopping child labor is a priority. Despite what big tobacco companies say they are doing to remove child labor from their supply chain, experts say the very low prices paid to farmers in countries make child labor inevitable.